THOR running: Not fast..but I pound the pavement!

Ok today is a highlight for me.  Finally got in a 15 mile long weekend run.  Since I did not run on Saturday I figured I had to get this week started off on a right food and definitely did not want to take two consecutive days off.  Had to take Saturday off... went home (Columbia, S.C.) for a Party Friday night (Brother in Law), and Saturday morning I was up at dawn helping my Mom take care of home improvement items that had gone by for too long.  After about 7 hours on the job at Mom's.. got the call from my wife that it was snowing at home and I either needed to be on the road or prepare to stay for a while.  I opted to burn the road up and head back home.

Well enough of the excuses (that don't excuse) and reasons (that don't rationlaize) why I did not run yesterday.  Today felt good..... really good.  I started off with a good slow pace and was able to maintain it with no issues at all until about mile 12.45 (note I stopped at my mail box to get some water which I keep in my paper slot) so I am wondering if I drank too much.  Never the less,  at about mile 13, I pulled out a trail bar and ate it thinking it would give me more energy... well it did but it took longer than I wanted it to.  I am going to have to get a better feel for how much to hydrate with and when to start eating.  After the food kicked in I was able to get back to my fast shuffle. :-) 

In total I ran for about 2 hours 45 min. and covered 15.4 miles.  Not running anyone off the road but it was a personal best for me regarding mileage (i.e the most I ever ran at one time).  Starting to feel decent about finishing the 26.2 Georgia marathon I have coming up at the end of March.  With all that I have to learn about ME and what will work best I know it is definitely going to be a learning experience!  Next week... maybe 17 miles??  :-)

Took a slack day on Monday... it was a Holiday and tough to get into my routine.  No excuses.. except for being LAZY ;-)

Wow that lazy bug is hard to shake!  I did not run this morning at 5:00 AM... and after getting up to get going I knew I was going to regret it!  Sure enough I did... thinking that my mileage this week is definitely going to suffer and after such a great start. 

After not running yesterday it should have been a priority but I did not.  Ok so my schedule is a little open so I head to the gym a little early... hopped on a treadmill and started booking it... planned on going 6 miles but actually got in about 9.1 miles!  I was happy about that thinking it would not get me to my planned goal of approx. 13 per day but it was an improvement on yesterday :-)  So after my run my weight lifting partner Jake comes in and we go to do a pretty decent chest work out!  Towards the end Jake says... I am going for a 35 min. run on the treadmill... are you up for it..... Hey you know me.. I can't turn down a challenge so I find myself back on the treadmill really booking it this time!  Jake is a pretty decent runner and pushes me pretty good...  I got in another 3 miles in about a 7.45 min. per mile pace (including the warm up) and then slowed the pace down for the last mile.  In the end I think I got in 4 miles at about an 8.35 min. per mile pace.  I was not too disappointed with that!

Still feeling pretty good... if the temperature does not get too bad, I may try to get in 2-3 miles tonight?  Nothing big, just something to help me feel better about getting over the lazy bug!!   :-)

This morning was awful... I am thinking I may have exerted too much on yesterday, as I got in my miles but they were all at a faster pace than I usually chug along at.  Nevertheless I managed to get out.  Today was very foggy in Charlotte, NC so I could not run my normal route.  Typically when I leave my house I don't like to pass it again (i.e. loop around) because the temptation is too great to cut my run short when I see my driveway :-)

Well the route I normally run has a stretch of road about .5 miles where the lanes are narrow and there is a bridge which barely can hold 2 cars....  AND definitely not 2 cars and a jogger... bottom line.. on a good day it is not truly safe and on a foggy day I would be asking for trouble. 

Sooooo I had to do the loops around the neighborhood.  Sure enough it was a tough run and even after the first loop (i.e. 3 miles) I wanted to call it quits (seriously)... I made the 2nd loop and definitely wanted to stop... somehow I huffed and puffed my way around for the 3rd loop which by making a few turns cuts off a mile but there was a pretty steep hill on this stretch.  During this part I literally I felt like I was running in place :-( 

In the end I am glad I pushed my self!  Today was not one of those lazy days but just mentally and physically tough - you know one of those days where you had to push for each step.  I will definitely remember it when I get to the marathon and have to pull up some motivation that "I CAN DO IT!!".

Lunch update: Hit arms today in the gym got a decent work out in... covered both tri's and bi's.  Afterwards Jake wanted to get his run in, after this morning I knew I was not up for a hard run but told him I would trot along for moral support.  Was able to get in 2.6 miles but was not feeling like I had good energy so I did not try to push it. 

Ok the difference between yesterday and today is like comparing...night and day... today felt much much better than yesterday.  The first 5 miles of my morning run felt really good... nice and easy like they are supposed to be :-)  the last few miles I had to push but was still ok.  As a matter of fact, on the last I would say quarter mile I really picked up my pace and tried to turn my legs (per say).  That really felt good although it was very tiring!

At work I was hoping to get some good news on an internal job I applied for and interviewed with several people for.... however, unfortunately did not get the green light. 

Then on top of that....I got caught up in a meeting so I could not go to my "fun" spin class... the one that has great music so it gets you motivated (it is at a YMCA that is down the street vs. the YMCA that is 1 building over).  Nevertheless I obviously had a lot of stress and really was counting on pounding a treadmill to help me relieve some of it; so I headed on down for a quick work-out.  Made it to about 25 min. of a spin class (already in progress when I joined) which helped me to get warmed up very good, then headed down stairs to the treadmill for quick 3 miles.  Including my warm up I cranked out 3 miles in about 25 min. so I was pleased with that.

If all goes well I will run with the pack tomorrow (i.e. the really good running group at the Y).

Until tomorrow!! 

4.79 Miles on the morning run.  Was cold outside (for NC anyway) @ 19 Deg. F.  Since I am running with the gang at lunch today I really wanted to take a VERY easy pace.  I know I will have to give everything I have later today but wanted to keep my morning routine of getting up and running.  I believe I am going to try to get up at the same time every day so that I can stay away from the lazy bug!  Sleeping in is sort of like those potato chips... can't do it just one day!  Oh well I digress... back to the run... I had loaded some new tunes on my MP3 player so I picked up the pace and it felt good.

Lunch run... wow I HATE thinking about running with the gang!  I just know it is going to be painful (i.e. pushing my threshold) but wow does it feel great when I am done!  The temp is still down (i.e. 32 degrees) so only the die hard runners came out.  Basically that told me that I was going to come in last place and have to push to keep the other 5 runners in sight.  Sure enough after the warm up the pace is moving fast... two runners (still have not learned their names)... move out and are literally gone!  Two other runners are about a block ahead but I get into a groove and keep them locked... and my buddy Keith is about 10 paces ahead of me although I can tell he is not pushing as hard as he can (he was out partying last night ;0 )

We started down town and they just come out of the building and start warming up down the street.  My Garmin does not pick up until about what I would approximate to be about .5 miles into the run but for the warm up I fell great no issues.  Even during this I can tell that everyone’s strides and comfort level is EASY... except me. 

Ok into the run now... Mile #1 - 1 I clock a 7:43 pace... feeling good no issues.  Giving it everything I have but still feeling good.  Also mile 1 has some hills so that is a really good time for me!  Ok mile #2 - 7:51 starting to feel winded but not too bad I can tell that I am pushing hard.. but feel like I don't need to quit.  Mile #3 - 8:28 bottom line I am pushing it giving it EVERYTHING I have... weird I keep feeling like I am going to give out (i.e have to stop running and jog at best... walk worst case scenario); but somehow I keep finding energy to keep moving.  Final stretch Mile #5 - 8:46 still giving it all I have and never stopped running.  Note: running downtown there were a couple times I had to stop for traffic but today I caught a lot of lights and I believe only stopped 3 times for very short lights.  My times include all stops (i.e. it kept running). 

Today was a very good day... Keith commented on the fact that he could tell I was improving... and even better... before he made the comment I could tell! Nothing like results to keep you motivated!

Well if you are still reading two other great notes that make today outstanding!!

1. The job I thought I did not get.... well I received word that I am indeed going to get an offer!  I did not find out until after my run.... otherwise I am sure I could have used that to cut some time off :-).

2. Does the name Ray Krolewicz ring a bell to anyone?  Well long story short he was my Football Conditioning coach and Soccer coach in High School.  I always knew he liked to run and thought I would look him up just to catch up.   Well goodness.. I started googling him and literally found out that he is a freaking running LEGEND!!  Anyway today before my run I spoke with Coach K - what we call him.  That really made my day.  I am going to forward my blog info. to him and hopefully will get a chance to run a race with him in the near future.

Note: http://www.ncctrackclub.com/articles/RayKrolewiczLEGEND.html

Have a great weekend everyone!!